Set the hook with octopus?

[sewelljx]

Do u set the hook if using octopus hooks on boards?

[Deleted]

You'll probably get varying opinions on this, but depends.... Circle or J ??

[Deleted]

It depends. If you consider your circle hook to be nothing but a stinger holder then swing away! However, if this is the case, you might as well use a J hook.

[striperjohn]

Mar 26, 2015 16:01:52 GMT -5 @bigun2 said:

You'll probably get varying opinions on this, but depends.... Circle or J ??

Can not really answer that question until you answer biguns. With any type of circle hook if you jerk it you will not get a hook set.

[sewelljx]

So u can have either an octopus j or circle hook?

[sewelljx]

Might just eliminate any confusion and just use j's on the boards.

[striperjohn]

There is a great deal of opinion regarding which hook to use. I use nothing but inline circles for everything. Saltwater folks been using them for decades. They are relatively new to freshwater.
Now offset circles are not as effective as inline. Inline are the only tournament approved hooks in saltwater.
In hook tests with over 40 boats out of NC circles had a hook set almost 30% higher than Js with minimal damage to the fish. Look it up its all online.
My 2 cents.

[mwardncsu]

I thought offset circles were more effective than in-line circles Why are only in-line approved for certain salt-water release tourneys but off-set are not? I assume it has to do with greater potential for deep hooking with off-set over inline perhaps?

[striperjohn]

Yeah Mike the offsets have been known to get a gut hooked and/or throat hook due to the curvature. A big Swordfish -well it was almost 300 lbs had it's gullet ripped out by and offset circle in a tournament out or Pirates Cove and they instituted the inline regulations soon after. About 5-6 years ago. The straight inline circles like the GamGOOCHIE (how ever the hell it's spelled)Octopus Circle is one of the ones tested in NC test. I used them and Owners almost exclusively.
I was fishing a 2/0 with small alewives a couple years ago and caught a 21 lb 7 oz citation on it. The hook was not really stuck in the fish but was wedged over its lower lip in the corner of it's mouth. I had one helluva time getting it loose. LOL

[mwardncsu]

I use octopus offset circles on my downlines with alewifes exclusively - 1/0 & 2/0 GamaGOOCHIES - and the hook is almost always on the corner of the mouth or the top of the lip. Used Octopus offset circles early on with gizzards but switched to regular Octopus "J" hooks. Seemed to have been hook-ups - but maay was not using a large enough circle for the bait - seems like you need to step up a hook size or two on circles from what you'd use on a regular "J"

[Gator]

Mar 27, 2015 8:28:52 GMT -5 mwardncsu said:

I thought offset circles were more effective than in-line circles Why are only in-line approved for certain salt-water release tourneys but off-set are not? I assume it has to do with greater potential for deep hooking with off-set over inline perhaps?

Copied from SC DNR

Offset circle hooks are similar in shape to the non-offset circle hook; however, the point is not in line with the shank. Hooks are often offset because people believe that this will increase the efectiveness of the hook. However, there is anecdotal evidence that offsetting a circle hook actually decreases its effectiveness and increases the amount of deep hooking over non-offset circle hooks.



Our study shows the deep-hooking rate of offset circle hooks is 23%, (intermediate between J-hooks and circle hooks) but that mortality is similar to that of J-hooks (10%).

[mwardncsu]

interesting....

[mississipi]

I agree that you probably need to go up a hook size or two when using circles. I have used offsets a lot and I cant recall a deep hook. Most always in the corner of the mouth but sometimes in the upper lip. Used inline circles too, cant tell much difference.

[sewelljx]

Thanks for all the info.